High Court directs Chandigarh to hold mayoral polls on Jan 30

Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday directed the Chandigarh administration to hold the mayoral polls on January 30.

A division bench of Justices Sudhir Singh and Harsh Bunger gave the direction while hearing a petition by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Kuldeep Kumar challenging an order of the Deputy Commissioner for postponing the election from January 18 to February 6.

Kumar had demanded that polls be held within 24 hours and the appointment of a court commissioner to oversee the elections.

The court ordered that the councillors will not bring supporters, and security of another state and Chandigarh Police have been told to ensure their security.

The judges said the election will take place at 10 a.m. and the prescribed authority will nominate the presiding officer.

The BJP-ruled Chandigarh Municipal Corporation mayoral election was postponed on January 18 as presiding officer Anil Masih was unwell.

The administration had announced the election to the posts of Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor would be held on February 6.

High drama was witnessed earlier as councillors of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, both of which are fighting the polls jointly, registered their protest over the postponement of the polls at the last minute and lashed out at the BJP.

In a 35-member house of the Municipal Corporation, the BJP has 14 councillors, with another vote of member of Parliament and ex-officio member Kirron Kher. The AAP has 13 councillors, while the Congress has seven. The Shiromani Akali Dal has one councillor in the House.

AAP has called the mayoral election the “first fight of INDIA alliance against the BJP” and a “curtain raiser” for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.